History Characters / KingArthur

* FamilyThemeNaming: Possibly. In medieval Welsh his name is Cai or Cei, which is thought to derive from the Roman "Caius" or "Gaius", but also suggested to mean "way" or "path". His father Ector is called Cynyr in Welsh, which is thought to mean "way" or "path" also. This is supported by other theme-named {{patronymic}}s in medieval Welsh literature and cognates ''cai'' and ''conair'' in medieval Irish. If Cai son of Cynyr means something like "Path son of Way", it's similar to cases like Drem son of Dremhidydd "Sight son of Vision" and Nerth son of Cadarn "Strength son of Strong" from the story ''Culhwch and Olwen''.

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* FamilyThemeNaming: Possibly. In medieval Welsh his name is Cai or Cei, which is thought to derive from the Roman "Caius" or "Gaius", but also suggested to mean "way" or "path". His father Ector is called Cynyr in Welsh, which is thought to mean "way" or "path" also. This is supported by other theme-named {{patronymic}}s {{UsefulNotes/patronymic}}s in medieval Welsh literature and cognates ''cai'' and ''conair'' in medieval Irish. If Cai son of Cynyr means something like "Path son of Way", it's similar to cases like Drem son of Dremhidydd "Sight son of Vision" and Nerth son of Cadarn "Strength son of Strong" from the story ''Culhwch and Olwen''.

* NomDeMom: His Welsh counterpart Gwalchmai ''ap Gwyar'', "son of Gwyar". Gwyar appears to be his mother instead of father, [[{{Patronymic}} as was usual]], since she appears as Arthur's sister in genealogies. Some Welsh renditions of later Arthurian accounts put her name in place of ''Anna'' (better known as Morgause) and Gwalchmai instead of Gawain. Nothing is known of Gwalchmai's father, outside those aforementioned renditions that copy-paste and translate Gawain's father Lot as ''Lleu''.

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* NomDeMom: His Welsh counterpart Gwalchmai ''ap Gwyar'', "son of Gwyar". Gwyar appears to be his mother instead of father, [[{{Patronymic}} [[{{UsefulNotes/Patronymic}} as was usual]], since she appears as Arthur's sister in genealogies. Some Welsh renditions of later Arthurian accounts put her name in place of ''Anna'' (better known as Morgause) and Gwalchmai instead of Gawain. Nothing is known of Gwalchmai's father, outside those aforementioned renditions that copy-paste and translate Gawain's father Lot as ''Lleu''.

* SoleSurvivor: May be best known today as the one knight of the Round Table who survives Arthur's last battle, and who throws Excalibur back into a lake, even though he did not survive that long in the earlier tales. Sometimes it’s an unnamed knight or Gwiffred Petit (Y Brenin Bychan) that throws back the sword.

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* SoleSurvivor: May Thanks to Malory, he may be best known today as the one knight of the Round Table who survives Arthur's last battle, and who throws Excalibur back into a lake, even though he did not survive that long in the earlier tales. versions (the Welsh tradition has different survivors, though it doesn't mention his death but rather his grave; Geoffrey has him and Kay die fighting the Romans). Sometimes it’s an unnamed knight or Gwiffred Petit (Y Brenin Bychan) a former squire named Sir Griflet (or Girflet) that throws back the sword.sword. Bedivere's brother Lucan also lives long enough to help carry the mortally wounded Arthur, but the effort opens his own wounds and he dies first. Modern writers tend to keep Bedivere as the last survivor especially if he's also one of Arthur's oldest companions, for DramaticIrony.

* ChuckCunninghamSyndrome: Arthur’s children, usually. His sons were Llacheu (also identified with Loholt and Borre), Amhar, Gwydre, and Cydfan. He also had a daughter, Archfedd. ** In Scottish tradition, he had a son named Smeirbhe (also spelled as Smerbe or Smereviemore). Certain people and Clans have claimed descent from Arthur through Smeirbhe, often for political reasons.** Arthur himself killed Amhar, no reason given. Gwydre was killed by the Twrch Trwyth (the large boar hunted in Culhwch and Olwen). There are various versions of Llacheu’s death, while other sources never mention it. Either Llacheu died in battle at Llongborth or he was slain below Llechysgar (area near the court of Madog king of Powys). As Loholt, he is said to have either died by being killed by Kay (but it was Kay’s only treachery he ever committed) or died after being held captive in the Dolorous Prison.

* OopNorth: In the Welsh tradition, Peredur son of Efrog comes from the North of Britain (the Old North). His father Efrog was the founder of York.

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* OopNorth: In the Welsh tradition, Peredur son of Efrog comes from the North of Britain (the Old North).North), or at least his father did. His father Efrog was the founder of York.

Added DiffLines:

* PlotIncitingInfidelity: After Geraint [[MistakenForCheating believes that his wife Enid is in love with another man,]] he and Enid go out on a quest into parts unknown. After a series of mishaps, the couple eventually reconciled and is reunited with Arthur’s court (Arthur and his men went searching for him) and also leads to his encounter with Owain.

[[folder: Geraint/Erec]]* CompositeCharacter: There was a Geraint son of Erbin mentioned in the early tales. Then, in the Mabinogion, he is used in one of the three romances. The romances usually parallel a French romance. Perceval and Peredur, Yvain and Owain. But instead of “Erec and Enide,” we get “Geraint and Enid.” Originally Erec was the son of King Lac, and most likely a Breton, and his adventures likely took place in Brittany. Geraint is the son of Erbin, he is Cornish, and his adventures take place in the southwestern part of Britain (Cornwall, Domnonia, Somerset, etc.) Erec holds land in and around Brittany, Geraint holds land in and around Cornwall.** Geraint himself is a combination of several people: Gerontius (5th century British general), Geraint (6th century), Geruntius king of Domnonia/Devon (8th century), the Cornish saint Gerent, and Gerennius king of Cornwall.* CourtlyLove: While most romances involve extramarital relationships, Geraint/Erec marries Enid(e) early on.* DecompositeCharacter: While Geraint and Erec developed into separate characters, they easily could’ve been the same character once. Geraint was known in Brittany as Guerec, the leader that gave his name to Bro Weroc (territory around Vannes). The French “Erec” likely came from the Breton “Guerec,” and both are associated with Vannes.* YourCheatingHeart: Geraint accuses his wife Enid of this in “Geraint son of Erbin.” She was crying over him and talking about how she brought dishonor to him. [[MistakenForCheating But Enid was only upset because Geraint had given up being a knight to be with her.]][[/folder]]

* ICallItVera: Arthur is very fond of this. His ship is named Prydwen, his mantle is named Gwen, his sword (later known as Excalibur) is named Caledfwlch, which literally translates as “Breach of Battle.” His spear is named Rhongomyniad (Striking-Spear), his shield is named Wynebgwrthucher (Evening-Face), and his dagger is named Carnwennan (Little White Haft).

* SoleSurvivor: May be best known today as the one knight of the Round Table who survives Arthur's last battle, and who throws Excalibur back into a lake, even though he did not survive that long in the earlier tales. Sometimes it’s an unnamed knight or William the Petit that throws back the sword.

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* SoleSurvivor: May be best known today as the one knight of the Round Table who survives Arthur's last battle, and who throws Excalibur back into a lake, even though he did not survive that long in the earlier tales. Sometimes it’s an unnamed knight or William the Gwiffred Petit (Y Brenin Bychan) that throws back the sword.

* LawOfInverseFertility: Arthur and Guinevere are generally never given any biological children together (excluding Arthur’s sons Llacheu and Amhar in early Welsh tradition, but they might not be Gwenhwyvar’s) whilst Arthur and Morgause only need to copulate once to produce Mordred in tellings involving this BrotherSisterIncest.

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* LawOfInverseFertility: Arthur and Guinevere are generally never given any biological children together (excluding Arthur’s sons Llacheu Llacheu/Loholt and Amhar in early Welsh tradition, but they might not be Gwenhwyvar’s) Borre) whilst Arthur and Morgause only need to copulate once to produce Mordred in tellings involving this BrotherSisterIncest.

** The early Arthurian legends completely lack that whole 'drowning all the Mayday babies to kill your [[BrotherSisterIncest incestuously]] conceived [[YourCheatingHeart bastard son']] element, and while the Welsh do give him illegitimate sons, so do the French, and at least in the case of Arthur the Little, [[ChildByRape sons by force.]] He's also more of a warrior in the old myths, doing his own grunt work half the time, and instead of being king because of birth he's king because [[AsskickingEqualsAuthority he's the only man who can stall the Saxon invasion.]]

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** The early Arthurian legends completely lack that whole 'drowning all the Mayday babies to kill your [[BrotherSisterIncest incestuously]] conceived [[YourCheatingHeart bastard son']] element, and while the Welsh do give him illegitimate sons, so do the French, and at least in the case of Arthur the Little, [[ChildByRape sons by force.]] Yet Arthur did have a (most likely illegitimate) son named Amhar (also spelled Amr/Anir) that he is said to have killed. No reason is ever given. He's also more of a warrior in the old myths, doing his own grunt work half the time, and instead of being king because of birth he's king because [[AsskickingEqualsAuthority he's the only man who can stall the Saxon invasion.]]

* CloudCuckooLander: “Rhonabwy’s Dream,” am earlier Welsh satire, has Arthur in this role. During one of his battles, Arthur decides to set up camp and play chess or gwyddbwyll against Owain. As they play, Arthur’s men attack Owain’s ravens. Owain then gets a squire to raise a battle flag and the ravens attack (and kill) some of Arthur’s men. It gets to the point that Owain’s ravens are carrying men into the air and ripping them to pieces. Arthur and Owain keep playing gwyddbwyll until Arthur decides enough is enough and crushes the pieces. It’s also worth noting that Arthur is an emperor here, fighting alongside armies from Denmark, Norway, and receiving tribute from Greece.

* HappilyAdopted: Arthur actually had quite a happy life with Sir Ector and was extremely upset to learn that he wasn't actually his son.

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* HappilyAdopted: Arthur actually had quite a happy life with Sir Ector and was extremely upset to learn that he wasn't actually his son. It’s even implied that Sir Ector gave Arthur preferable treatment to his own son Kay.

** Older scholarship has linked him to the Welsh Arthurian figure of Llwch Llenlleawg ("Llwch of the Striking Hand"), because their names kind of look alike, and more pertinently "llwch" is the Welsh word for "lake" while Lancelot's full name is Lancelot du Lac or Lancelot of the Lake. The drawback is that Lancelot and Llenleawg have little in common, so treating him as a CanonForeigner is the most favored theory nowadays. Other times he would be linked to Lleu of the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogion.

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** Older scholarship has linked him to the Welsh Arthurian figure of Llwch Llenlleawg ("Llwch of the Striking Hand"), because their names kind of look alike, and more pertinently "llwch" is the Welsh word for "lake" while Lancelot's full name is Lancelot du Lac or Lancelot of the Lake. The drawback is that Lancelot and Llenleawg have little in common, so treating him as a CanonForeigner is the most favored theory nowadays. Other times he would be linked to Lleu of the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogion. Or Llenlleog the Irishman, although that’s rare.

* TheChosenOne: For the Grail quest.quest in the later versions. In the earlier versions that he didn’t appear in, usually Perceval was the one that found the Grail, although Diu Crône has Gawain find the Grail.

* TrueCompanions: With Arthur. They were raised as brothers before Arthur found out his true heritage, and Kay is invariably loyal and stalwart even as he became more boorish as the stories developed.

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* TrueCompanions: With Arthur. They were raised as brothers before Arthur found out his true heritage, and Kay is invariably loyal and stalwart even as he became more boorish as the stories developed. He’s said to be one of the most loyal members of the Court.

* SoleSurvivor: May be best known today as the one knight of the Round Table who survives Arthur's last battle, and who throws Excalibur back into a lake.

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* SoleSurvivor: May be best known today as the one knight of the Round Table who survives Arthur's last battle, and who throws Excalibur back into a lake.lake, even though he did not survive that long in the earlier tales. Sometimes it’s an unnamed knight or William the Petit that throws back the sword.

* FakeKing: Yes and no. Arthur leaves him in charge of the kingdom when he goes to fight Lancelot in France, and he does officially have himself declared king, but he isn't the rightful ruler.

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* FakeKing: Yes and no. Arthur leaves him in charge of the kingdom when he goes to fight Lancelot in France, and he does officially have himself declared king, but he isn't the rightful ruler. In some versions (often Scottish) Mordred is viewed as a legitimate ruler, or having the right to be, in the versions where Mordred/Medrawd is the son of Arthur’s sister and her husband, and thus born legitimate. Arthur himself falls into some sketchy territory about his own legitimacy (concerning his birth.)

* HistoricalBadassUpgrade: Any historical King Arthur who did exist hardly had access to a magical sword in the stone, an immortality inducing scabbard and fought off any villains like Morgan de Fay

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* HistoricalBadassUpgrade: Any historical King Arthur who did exist hardly had access to a magical sword in the stone, an immortality inducing scabbard and fought off any villains like Morgan de Fayle Fay.

* LawOfInverseFertility: Arthur and Guinevere are generally never given any biological children together (excluding Arthur’s sons Llacheu and Amhar in early Welsh tradition, but they might not be Gwenhwyvar’s) whilst Arthur and Morgause only need to copulate once to produce Mordred in telling a involving this BrotherSisterIncest.

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* LawOfInverseFertility: Arthur and Guinevere are generally never given any biological children together (excluding Arthur’s sons Llacheu and Amhar in early Welsh tradition, but they might not be Gwenhwyvar’s) whilst Arthur and Morgause only need to copulate once to produce Mordred in telling a tellings involving this BrotherSisterIncest.

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